I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the design of trays for sterilization and storage of surgical instruments and more particularly to a stackable instrument tray having a perforated base and cover and including cushions which securely receive and grip a plurality of instruments in place to prevent damage to the instruments during handling in a hospital or clinic environment.
II. Discussion of the Prior Art
A variety of containers have been devised for the sterilization and storage of medical instruments. Typically, they include a storage basket or insert which is dimensioned to fit loosely within a rigid box-like structure. These containers are available with or without a cover and some include ribs or retaining posts which pinch against various instruments and hold them in place. Although care is taken in the loading, sterilization, and storage of instruments within these containers, occasionally one is dropped or otherwise subjected to force which dislodges the instruments. Should this occurs, the delicate instruments stored within can be damaged.
An example of an autoclave tray for surgical apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,688, issued to Berry, Jr. This essentially flat tray is dimensioned to permit placement within a basket-like structure, or to be individually wrapped in surgical drapes. The surface of the tray includes both a plurality of steam holes disposed in a predetermined pattern along the surface, and a plurality of keyholes which receive extensions from synthetic plastic instrument holders which provide braces for various instruments. Each holder includes a base portion, a body portion, and a connecting portion, wherein the connecting portion is narrower than either the base or body portions and the body portion is slotted to receive and hold a portion of a surgical instrument. It has been our experience that when severely jarred, the instruments stored in the Berry style tray may become dislodged from its slot in the body portion of this holder. Moreover, no provision is made to allow several such trays to be conveniently stacked in an autoclave or in a storage cabinet.
Modular supports for protecting instruments within a sterilization tray are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,135,868, issued to Schainholz. The supports are provided in pairs, one being inserted into the cover of the sterilization tray and the other being complimentarily inserted into a molded, rectangular instrument support base to which the cover is hinged. Both the cover and the support base include perforated surfaces into which extensions from the modular supports may be inserted. Thus, the modular supports may be placed at a variety of angles and positions within the tray. The modular supports include variously shaped cutouts, dimensioned to receive a variety of instruments. However, the cutouts are not specifically tailored for individual instruments, so direct pressure from the modular supports mounted in the cover is relied upon to maintain proper positioning of the instruments. If this instrument tray is inadvertently dropped, it is possible for the securing latch between the base and cover to pop open, causing the clamping pressure on the instruments to be released and permitting them to become dislodged and damaged. Again, no provision is made for the stable stacking of a plurality of such trays, one upon the other.
It is accordingly a principal object of the present invention to provide an instrument tray for the sterilization and storage of surgical instruments which includes instrument holders that securely grasp individual instruments and do not permit them to become dislodged during severe jarring of the tray.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide instrument trays which may be interlockingly stacked for secure storage of multiple trays.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a new and improved instrument tray assembly having a securely locking cover which will not dislodge if the tray is dropped or jarred.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved instrument tray having a unique set of retracting handles which may be grasped and held at a variety of angles, thereby permitting sterilized trays to be easily transferred without contamination.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for an instrument tray having a unique, locking mechanism that will assure the instrument tray cover remains properly in place as the tray is tilted at all angles.